What we do with the house and its contents
Sell an inherited house without cleanout, repairs, or hauling away a lifetime of belongings — we take it as it is. If there are belongings you want to keep, we can talk through them and include what we agree in the written terms.
Property taxes, insurance, utilities, upkeep, and any mortgage payments can continue while the estate holds the house. You can ask about an as-is sale without first taking on repair work or clearing the contents.
What happens next
- We talk through the Burlington house, its contents, where things stand with the estate, and your preferred timing.
- We review the property and discuss its condition, access, and the sale questions that still need checking.
- We give written cash offers in 24 hours.
- If you choose to proceed, we provide the written offer and terms before you commit. A title company handles closing and checks the documents required for this sale.
Signing from another location
Sell from anywhere in the country — we can send a notary to you, and you don't have to attend settlement or even visit the property.
What you keep from the sale
Compare your assumptions for listing and an as-is sale with the Burlington home-sale net-proceeds calculator. Change the costs and payoffs to fit your situation; the estimate is not a property-specific offer or settlement statement.
Compare what you may keep with the Burlington calculator →Iowa estate rules, taxes, and who can sign
If probate is still open, the estate's court-appointed personal representative normally handles the sale, not an heir acting alone. The representative can sell estate real estate to pay debts, distribute the estate, or for another purpose in the estate's best interests. See Iowa Code §633.386.
If the will gives the personal representative power to sell, the usual court sale steps do not apply ( §633.383). Otherwise, the representative petitions the court, gives notice to interested people unless they waive it in writing, gets an order for the sale, and files a report afterward for court approval. The petition, notice, sale order, and report are addressed in §633.388, §633.389, §633.396, and §633.399.
A homestead can be sold only as the court directs, and a surviving spouse may have the right to keep it ( Iowa Code §561.12). Mortgages and other liens still have to be paid or released at closing.
Iowa inheritance tax does not apply to deaths on or after January 1, 2025. For an earlier death, check the date-specific guidance from the Iowa Department of Revenue or an estate attorney.
Iowa real estate transfer tax is 80 cents for each $500, or fraction of $500, of the price above the first $500. Iowa law generally makes the person conveying the property, normally the seller, liable for the tax. Exemptions include certain family, divorce, estate-distribution, and $500-or-less transfers; the closing professional confirms whether it applies and the taxable amount. See Iowa Code §428A.1, §428A.2, §428A.3, and chapter 428A.
When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including Iowa real estate transfer tax. Mortgage balances, liens, back taxes, and your share of current property taxes are separate.
Local help and Des Moines County records
Burlington is the Des Moines County seat. The County Recorder handles deed recording, and the Clerk of Court is the local court contact. If you need an estate attorney, we can help you find one.
Des Moines County Recorder
513 N. Main St., Burlington, IA 52601 · 319-753-8221. The Recorder handles real-estate document recording and publishes recording information.
Real estate documents and recording fees →Des Moines County Clerk of Court
513 North Main Street, P.O. Box 158, Burlington, IA 52601 · 319-753-8262. The Iowa Judicial Branch lists this as the local court contact for Des Moines County.
Iowa Judicial Branch — Des Moines County →Questions and contact
If you have probate papers, a will, a court order, or a deed, tell us what you have. We can discuss the house and coordinate with the estate's title company or attorney about the sale process.
Prefer to talk? Call 888-274-5006.
We give written cash offers in 24 hours.
Tell us about the Burlington house and the estate.
Frequently Asked Questions — Inherited Property in Burlington, IA
Can I sell an inherited Iowa house before probate is finished?
Often, yes, but the sale normally goes through the estate's court-appointed personal representative, not an heir acting alone. If the will gives the representative power to sell, the usual court sale steps do not apply. Otherwise, the representative petitions the court, gives notice to interested people unless they waive it in writing, gets an order for the sale, and files a report afterward for court approval.
Who can sign for an inherited house in Burlington?
The estate's court-appointed personal representative normally handles the sale, not an heir acting alone. If the will gives the representative power to sell, the usual court sale steps do not apply. Otherwise, the representative petitions the court, gives notice to interested people unless they waive it in writing, gets an order for the sale, and files a report afterward for court approval.
Do I have to put the inherited house in my own name before selling?
You can sell in the estate's name once the estate is opened — no need to put the house in your own name first. If you need an estate attorney, we can help you find one.
Does Iowa inheritance tax apply to an inherited house?
Iowa inheritance tax does not apply to deaths on or after January 1, 2025. For an earlier death, check the date-specific guidance with the Iowa Department of Revenue or an estate attorney; the sale date by itself does not answer the tax question.
What Iowa transfer tax applies when the house is sold?
Iowa real estate transfer tax is 80 cents for each $500, or fraction of $500, of the price above the first $500. Exemptions apply to some transfers, including certain family and estate-distribution transfers. When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including Iowa real estate transfer tax. Mortgage balances, liens, back taxes, and your share of current property taxes are separate.
Do I have to repair the house or remove the belongings first?
We buy houses as-is, in any condition — no repairs, no cleaning, no cleanout required to sell to us. Sell an inherited house without cleanout, repairs, or hauling away a lifetime of belongings — we take it as it is. Tell us what you want to keep and what will stay so the written terms match the house and contents.
Can I sign from outside Iowa?
Sell from anywhere in the country — we can send a notary to you, and you don't have to attend settlement or even visit the property.
When will I get a written cash offer?
We give written cash offers in 24 hours.
We give written cash offers in 24 hours.
Tell us about the Burlington house and the estate.